Unusually Social, Pt. 4 - _TNY_8440S2

This tiny beauty on the flower of a house leek (Sempervivum tectorum) is most likely a female long hoverfly (Sphaerophoria scripta) as it is the most common of the Sphaerophoria species - but this could be one of the others as well so ID will have to stop at it being a globetail (Sphaerophoria sp.).

 

I found her there while looking for carder bees and discovered that she wasn't scared by the camera at all.

 

I could try loads of settings and levels of magnification and flash power and what not and she stayed on the flower.

 

This is a composite (or focus stack) made from two shots with different parts of the fly in focus. It moved slightly in-between shots so I had to use Photoshop to combine them.

 

After getting a bunch of shots, I stood up - but this made her abandon the flower and begin circling my head instead!

 

Her wings produced a rather high-pitched, almost mosquito-like, sound and she stayed around me while I walked about five meters to a different flower in the garden. By now I was quite amused by her behaviour and held out my hand and lo and behold, she landed on it - and I got a shot of her there as well (coming later).

 

Part 1 here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/53853160550/

 

Part 2 here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/54285687502/

 

Part 3 here: www.flickr.com/photos/tinyturtle/54934302221/

Done